


Relationships Aren't Forbidden

by jairyn



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Anisoka, Clone Wars, F/M, Force Bond (Star Wars), Jedi, Sith, Snips - Freeform, Star Wars - Freeform, skyguy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-20
Updated: 2018-07-20
Packaged: 2019-06-13 12:38:03
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 25
Words: 16,782
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15364881
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jairyn/pseuds/jairyn
Summary: AU where the Jedi order lifted the ban on relationships and attachments. (i.e. how the clone wars should have ended, in my opinion - though I'm excited for the upcoming stuff announced at SDCC)(Also, forgive me if I'm not always right about what clones are around when, I try to be as accurate as possible, but I have trouble keeping track of them)





	1. Chapter 1

"Hey master," she said when he joined her walking down the hall.

            "Hey Snips," he murmured, straightening his robes. She watched him out of the corner of her eye as he brushed himself off. Had he combed his hair? His wavy locks were less, wild, tonight. And he was wearing cologne. She turned up her nose. Oh brother, that only meant one thing.

            "Are you going out with Senator Amidala again tonight?" she asked, as if she didn't know. Of course he was, that's all he ever seemed to do. Ever since the Jedi council retracted its ban on relationships, he was out with her at least once a week, usually two or three times. Not that she counted. It was the main source of gossip around the temple. Everyone whispering about how serious they were getting. She was tired of hearing about it, to be honest. But that's because she liked him. Nobody could know that though.

            "Yeah, we have tickets to see El Segador at the theater. Do I look okay?" He stopped in front of her and she looked him up and down. He looked perfect for a night out with a classy lady like the senator. But she liked him better when he looked less, pretentious... She liked a little bit of fire, a smirk and his curly hair blowing wildly in the wind. Not that she'd admit that either. She pretended to brush something off his shoulder and screwed her face up like she was scrutinizing him critically. "What's wrong? Did I miss something?" he looked worried and she bit her lip.

            "Turn around." She made a gesture with her finger and he did so obediently. "Nope, you remembered your pants this time."

            He stuck his tongue out at her and tried to tame a stubborn lock of hair that kept blowing in his face. They stopped at the cafeteria so he could get a bottle of water to slick his hair back. "What about you? How are you going to spend your night off?" he asked, taking a sip.

            "Oh I don't know," she crossed her arms. "I might just go to the library and catch up on my studies."

            "Aww, Snips, that's no way to spend your Friday evening. Friday's are for fun and frolic. Don't make me order you to get out of the temple for awhile!"

            "Oh fine, maybe I'll call up Lux and see if he wants to do something together."

            "What do you see in Bonteri anyways?" Anakin asked, taking another drink. She wanted to ask him the same question about Padmé. But she knew the answer to that. Padmé was gorgeous and brilliant, she had a great laugh and knew exactly how to get what she wanted. She was passionate and luxurious. What man wouldn't rather spend their time with her? Compared to Senator Amidala... she was plain and boring.

            "Well, he's interesting and we get along well," she replied. She'd almost added 'and Lux actually seemed to like spending time with her.' And right now, that was the low bar she was willing to climb. Because the person she wanted wasn't interested in her. "He's also a great kisser." Anakin spit out the water he'd been sipping and frantically wiped himself off. "What happened?"

            "I think I tried to swallow too much at once." He shifted, looking everywhere but at her as she helped him dry off. "Well, uh, I'd better get going. I don't want to keep her waiting." _Yeah, we wouldn't want that._ She waved after him sadly as he disappeared down the hallway.

            He was so confusing sometimes. It was obvious he was in love with Padmé, but then he'd get jealous whenever she would mention being with a guy. Every once in awhile she'd catch him staring at her with an odd almost longing expression. But maybe she was overthinking it. Why would he want her when he had someone as amazing as Padmé?

            "Going out with the senator, again?" Bariss asked, stepping up beside her.

            "You know it," Ahsoka smirked trying to hide her annoyance. "I guess I better go call Lux or I'm going to be spending my Friday night alone."

            "What do you see in Lux anyways?" her friend asked.

            "Why does everyone keep asking me that?" she huffed.

            "Probably because he's not much of a catch," Bariss laughed.

            "Of course he is. He's handsome and interesting and er..."

            Bariss elbowed her and flashed a knowing smile. "Yeah he's interesting alright, about as interesting as a rock. And good looks only get you so far."

            "I'll have you know," Ahsoka crossed her arms defiantly. "He's a really nice guy and so maybe he talks a little too much about politics or his calligraphy collection, but..."

            "You're hopeless," her friend interrupted. "Fine, go spend time with your boyfriend. Oh Luxy-poo, my darling..." She made a few kissy faces and Ahsoka stormed away as Bariss' teasing laughter followed her down the hall.

            Okay fine, so maybe Lux wasn't exactly the catch of the day, but he wasn't as bad as everyone liked to think. And right now, she didn't have any other options, so she had to make the best of the situation. He was better than nothing, right? Or should she sit around and mope because Anakin was in love with someone else? Lux was better than moping at least...


	2. Chapter 2

“Would you sit still?” Padmé whispered in annoyance and he dropped his hands into his lap.

            “I’m sorry, I just can’t get comfortable,” he replied in frustration. That wasn’t true. These seats weren’t comfortable but that’s not what was bothering him right now. He couldn’t stop thinking about what Ahsoka had said earlier and every time it popped into his head, he’d picture Lux with his hands all over her and he’d get more and more agitated. He’d already downed several glasses of wine trying to relax, but nothing was working. The show wasn’t very interesting and did nothing to distract him.

            “What is the matter with you?” Padmé asked when the lights came on for the intermission and the other people sharing their box got up and left to take a break.

            “I don’t know,” he said looking down at his feet. “Ahsoka said she was going to spend the evening with Lux after telling me he was a great kisser. I feel like I need to stop her from making a terrible mistake.”

            “That is what has you upset? My goodness, Ani. It’s part of growing up. Let her have her fun. She’s at the perfect age to be exploring those kinds of feelings. You may be her teacher, but you’re not her father, so you need to let it go. Sometimes you have to let them make mistakes, so they learn and grow.” Padmé slipped her arm through his. “I know you care about her, but part of being a guardian is knowing when to back off. You can’t protect them from everything and really, it’s not your job to.”

            “I know, I just don’t want for her to do something she’ll regret later,” he sighed, dropping his shoulders.

“Well even if she does, you don’t get to make that call.” She was right, he knew that, but it didn’t stop him from being frustrated about it. He was glad the order had lifted the ban on relationships, because not hiding his one with Padmé was a huge weight off his shoulders. But now somehow seeing other people running around having them was weird to get used to. Hardest by far, was watching Ahsoka flirt with other guys. It didn’t make sense, they were just friends. He was protective of her, of course, that’s what he did. He was her master but watching her with them felt like a dagger to the heart. It curled his fingers and he hated it. Her wellbeing was his responsibility, so… it was normal to be this protective, right? “Remember what we were like at the beginning?” Padmé chuckled good naturedly and he clenched.

            “Yeah, that’s what worries me.”

            The lights dimmed and the show resumed, his restlessness did not go away. Nor could he stop thinking about what they might be doing back there at the temple.


	3. Chapter 3

The moment he woke up, Ahsoka handed him a cup of caf and some pills for his hangover. “What happened?” he asked, squinting even though the room wasn’t that bright.

            “You came bursting through my door last night and told off a pillow for touching me,” she replied, sitting back down on the meditation poof. “You proceeded to throw it out into the hall and then you passed out on my bed.”

            “No, I didn’t do that.” He shook his head and she hiked a brow at him. He swallowed the pills and took a sip of the caf.

“If you hadn’t of been drunk, you might have noticed Lux wasn’t even in my room.”

            He opened his mouth and closed it again, then took another sip and rubbed his forehead. “I’m sorry, Snips,” he said sitting back against the wall. “I couldn’t stop thinking about what you said about him being a good kisser and well… I didn’t like the idea of his hands all over you.”

            “Why? Your hands are all over Padmé all the time!”

            “That’s different!” he said stubbornly.

            “How so?”

            “Well for one thing, I’m an adult!” he replied in annoyance and she just shook her head at him in disbelief.

            “Oh yeah? Well than act like it!”

            “I didn’t want you to make a mistake,” he said a little softer. As if that made it better.

            “Has it occurred to you, master, that you don’t get to decide what a mistake for me might look like? Maybe there are some mistakes worth making,” she said crossing her arms.

            “But you can do so much better than Lux…”

            She stood up. “Maybe, but I happen to like Lux and he seems to like me too. So maybe, he’s who I want to be with. You don’t get a say in who I choose anyways!”

            “But I’m your master…”

            “You’re not my dad! And if you weren’t so, so… _full of yourself_ … you’d figure that out. Now get out!” she ordered.

            “But…”

            She pointed to the door. “Out!”

            The door closed behind him and she fumed at it in silence. This was the dumbest conversation they could be having! And it wasn’t fair! It was okay for him to have a relationship but if she wanted one he tried to get in the way. Why did he get to be happy, but she couldn’t?     Maybe Lux wasn’t who she really wanted, but still… it was better than nothing. She didn’t know if she should find it endearing that he was jealous or suffocating because he was too overprotective. If only the jealousy stirred him into action and he would finally realize what was right in front of him.


	4. Chapter 4

He leaned his head against the door feeling like an idiot. She was right of course, he didn’t really get a say in it. But what the kriff did she even see in that slimo? From where his head rested, he could see the pillow she said he’d thrown out into the hall and he squeezed his eyes shut in frustration.

            “Trying to play dad, again?” Obi wan asked coming up behind him. “I can tell you from personal experience, it never works.”

            He turned and scowled at his old master, who just chuckled as though he were enjoying this way too much. He didn’t understand! Neither had Padmé. “I have to go…” he waved his hands angrily in the air not able to come up with the words to express what he needed to do.

            He chugged the rest of the caf and then crumpled up the cup and threw it in a trash can on the way down the hallway.

            _Lux. Lux Bonteri._ He had half a mind to go looking for him just to tell him off. This was   ridiculous. Why did he even care who the hell she wanted to spend her time with? He’d never cared before! Everything that Padmé had said about this being the perfect time for her to explore those feelings and that it was part of growing up, only served to anger him more. Well maybe he didn’t want her to grow up. Or maybe, he just didn’t want her to explore those feelings with Lux Bonteri. The former Separatist slimo that through his own idiotic actions had gotten her tangled up with Death Watch. A group of terrorists that had tried to kill her. Yet for some reason, she still liked him and wanted to do _it_ with him.

            But if he were being really honest… he didn’t want her to explore those feelings with anyone. There wasn’t a man alive he trusted to take care of her, other than maybe himself.


	5. Chapter 5

She stared blankly at the computer screen in front of her. She was the only one in the library at this hour. That’s because it was yet another Friday where she had nowhere better to be. Bariss seemed to think she could have her pick of men, but ever since her fight with Anakin about it a few weeks before, she’d decided to swear off them completely. Besides, Lux never seemed to have time for her anymore and she was tired of all the drama. Maybe it had been better all the way around when relationships were forbidden. She half expected to wake up one day and the council would announce that it had all been a scheme to show them just how dangerous attachments were. She definitely saw how they could blind you to things right in front of you. She also saw how they got in the way of otherwise good working relationships and respect.

            The temple had practically been a feeding frenzy of hormonal people that wanted to experience something new and exciting. They’d all paired off or gone out and found someone so quickly, it sometimes felt like she was the only one left that didn’t have someone. But unlike the rest of them, she supposed, she wanted it to mean something. She told herself constantly she should just experience it and not overthink it, but when the curtain came up in the morning, she didn’t want to regret it. Everyone had teased her for her interest in Lux, none of her friends seemed to think he was the right person for her or even someone she should want to experience it with. Anakin had been convinced she’d make a horrible mistake choosing him.

            The irony was that she felt the same way. She just didn’t want to admit that to anyone. Lux was nice, and sweet and good looking, but she’d been lying to her master that day. He wasn’t a good kisser. In fact, the only time they had kissed had left her feeling empty and disappointed. And frankly, completely unsatisfied. She saw the intimate touches and longing stares of all the other couples she passed. She wanted in on that, but what made her different, was that she didn’t want it with just anyone. She wanted it with the person she liked. The one she’d admired for years. If she was going to take that plunge, she wanted it with someone she trusted. But he, only wanted it with Padmé. And just thinking about what they were doing night after night, turned her stomach and left a bitter taste in her mouth.

            She heard someone enter and ducked under the desk. It wasn’t that she could get in trouble for being here, she just didn’t want to look so lame. The chair next to the one she’d been sitting in moved and she held her breath wondering how long they were going to be there. She tried to peek out without making a sound, but it just looked like robes.

            “I’ve been looking all over for you.” She hit her head on the desk in surprise and clenched her teeth to the pain. Anakin peeked under the desk at her. “Are you okay?” She waved her hand dismissively trying to power through the pain. What was he even doing here? Why wasn’t he off with Padmé? She pushed the chair away from the desk and laid down on her back instead of trying to get up. He moved his chair and laid down on the floor next to her. “I’ve been worried about you,” he murmured, turning his head to look at her.

            “I’m fine,” she said, staring at the ceiling. No, she wasn’t fine. He knew that of course.

            “Did you find what you were looking for?”

            “What do you mean?” she glanced at him.

            “Under the desk.”

            She smirked at him and half thought about rolling so her back was to him. “Nope. No boys there.”

            He moved so his arm brushed hers and she pulled herself together tighter, hating the electricity that the lightest of his touches could send through her. “I’m sorry about what happened, Snips. I really am. It wasn’t my place to get in your way. You can like or be with whoever you want.”

            “Thank you,” she said. “Not that I needed your permission.”

            “So why don’t you call up Lux, so you don’t spend the night alone in the library?” he asked. She rolled to face him and propped herself up on her elbow.

            “Lux isn’t interested in me anymore. He met a new girl named Steela. I guess I didn’t get excited enough about his rock collection.” She blinked the tears out of her eyes, so he wouldn’t notice. “It works just fine for me. I’ve sworn off boys, they’re more trouble than they’re worth.”

            He turned so he was facing her too. “I wish I could tell you that wasn’t true,” he smirked. “But just because one of them was an idiot, doesn’t mean you won’t find a better one. Maybe you should expand your search radius?”

            “You make it sound like finding love is a lot like finding a criminal.” She blew air out the side of her mouth.

            “Well it kind of is, they steal your heart and then you spend the rest of your life chasing them.”

“That’s bleak,” she rolled her eyes. “I’d better go lock mine up so no one can steal it.” She made to sit up and he grabbed her arm to help her. She stared at him a moment and then shook herself. If only she could ask him what to do when the person that stole her heart was chasing someone else instead.

            “Just promise me you’ll at least try to get out and meet new people? I hate seeing you spend so much time alone. It’s not healthy,” he said, reaching out to set his hand on her shoulder and she braced herself for the inevitable shock his touch always gave her.

            “Okay,” she whispered, suddenly feeling the need to flee from him.


	6. Chapter 6

"Hey Bariss! Wait up!" He hurried along so he could talk to her.

            "Yes, Skywalker?" she asked looking at him mildly interested in what he had to say. Probably because he hardly ever talked to her, let alone sought her out.

            "Have you seen Ahsoka? I can't find her anywhere." He looked around half expecting her to leap out and be like 'here I am!'

            "She's probably with her new boyfriend," Bariss said. He started.

            "New boyfriend? Who is that?"

            "I don't know. She's been tight lipped about him, but she seems to spend all her time with him away from the temple. Rumor has it he's quite the partier, they're always hopping from club to club." He stared at Bariss wide-eyed. Suddenly Lux didn't seem so bad. "She ditches me for him all the time. Coming back early in the morning, sometimes not at all. I don't know what they're doing, but I can guess. Everybody's talking about it," Bariss laughed. "Good luck, Skywalker. I think you have your hands full." She continued walking and he watched her go, his heart racing in his chest.

            Oh no, this wasn't good. He told her to get out more so he didn't have to feel so guilty about her moping around all the time and now what? Now she's found someone that sounds like trouble. Late nights, hardly around, partying, drinking... maybe even drugs. He should call her up right now and demand she return to the temple! He could lie and say they were needed for a mission. Ahsoka would be angry with him, of course. But at least he could rest better knowing she was safe. Yeah, that seemed like a good plan.

            He headed back to his room and pulled out his holocommunicator. He'd told her to go have fun, but this wasn't exactly what he'd had in mind. He paced for a few minutes debating with himself before he finally dialed her number.

            "Oh hi, master!" She gave him a sheepish grin. He could hardly hear her over the ruckus going on around her. Loud, heavy music, lots of people talking. She looked distracted, waving and coyly flirting with someone he couldn't see.

            "Where are you?" he asked, swallowing hard.

            "Hey, yeah you, another drink please!" she called to someone. "What was that, master? I'm having trouble hearing you." She grinned at someone and moved her body like she was dancing... sexy dancing? What the kriff had she gotten into?

            "I said, where are you?" He shouted trying to be heard over the loud obnoxious music.

            "I'm at the club!" she slurred excitedly. "Don't worry, master! I'm doing fine!" She giggled and fell back into someone's arms and he felt murderous when he saw them slide their hands a bit too close to her breasts. "I gotta go! They're about to have a wet shirt contest and the fellas think I'm a shoe in for the win!"

            "But!" She clicked off the call and he stared at the device in disbelief. He had half a mind to call her back or trace the call and bring her back to the temple by force. She'd never forgive him for that though. He paced the room furiously. His emotions overwhelming him. He was worried about her, definitely. Everyone kept telling him he had to let her make mistakes. He doubted this was what anybody had in mind. She was seventeen now. How the hell had she even gotten into a club to begin with? And who were all those guys she was flirting with or were touching her?

            He was going to go mad. He swore he would hunt each of them down and give them all a well-placed punch in the nose.


	7. Chapter 7

Ahsoka fell back onto the floor laughing. "Did you see him? He was positively livid."

            "You know he's jealous because he cares, right?" Rex said, sitting back against the lockers.

            "Yeah, I know he cares, I just wish he'd stop being so blind. He told me to get out more, so I have been."

            "Fives! You can turn off the music now!" Rex shouted.

            "Aw man, I was enjoying that!" Fives grumbled and clicked off the station.

            "You could have at least turned it down," Echo grumbled from the corner, trying to focus back on the book he was reading.

            "What part do you think got him the most jealous?" she asked the group of clones around her. The 501st, best legion there was. And lately, her best friends. Anakin had told her to get out more and meet new people, but to be honest, she didn't want to. So she spent most of her time here at the shipyard barracks, pouring out her heart to Rex and the gang. Playing holochess, exchanging stories or just chilling in comfortable silence. As soon as she'd seen it was Anakin that was calling the boys had insisted on helping her look like she was out following his advice. Fives had turned on the local clone cantina station, and the rest of them had hooted and hollered suggestions to make it look like she was the center of attention.

            "The wet shirt contest," Fives grinned at her.

            "I think it was the 'bring me another drink' part," Echo chuckled.

            "Oh come on fellas, you know our General better than that," Hardcase said, hitting his knuckles against the bottom bunk. "It was the hands on her of course. I wouldn't put it past him to be frantically hunting you down as we speak."

            "What do you think, captain?" she asked, looking up at Rex.

            "I think you and I need to go for a little walk," he replied.

            "Ooh you're in trouble now," Fives laughed, falling back onto his bunk.

            Rex helped her to her feet and she followed him out of the barracks. "Listen Lil'un," he started once they'd made it a good distance out into the night air. "I know what you want, but toying with people's feelings... especially anger, is a dangerous game. You know as well as I do, that General Skywalker cares deeply about the people around him. Whether Jedi are allowed to feel or not."

            "We're allowed to feel," she said indignantly. "We're just not supposed to make decisions based on them."

            "Yeah, well, what do you think he's feeling right now?"

"Hopefully jealous," she muttered. Rex looked at her with pity and she felt guilt creep up her throat.

            "Jealousy is not the road to love, it's the road to destruction. If you want him to love you, you need to let him know you're going to be there for him. Toying with his emotions like this is just going to cause a rift between the two of you. You'll lose all ability to trust each other," Rex said as though he were teaching a course on relationship etiquette.

            "I was just having a little fun." She looked down at her feet. He set his hand on her shoulder.

            "I know that. You know that. But he doesn't. The bond that you two have is really special. Don't let it fizzle out because you're lonely or jealous. Sometimes there are more important things than a one-night stand."


	8. Chapter 8

Anakin sat in her room, his shoulders dropping as the night wore on. He glanced at his chronometer for the hundredth time. 0200. He tried to take a deep breath, but it was difficult to swallow. How long did he wait before he went looking for her? Was she okay? Was she safe? Was she even headed back to the temple? Or was she unconscious in an alley somewhere? He wanted to give her a piece of his mind, that's why he'd come to her room to begin with. But right now, he just wanted her to make it back safe.

            He couldn't shake the image of those hands sliding up her body or the way she'd flirted with unknown people all around her. And what about the wet shirt contest? How many people were going to see her body like that? His fingers curled into a ball. Every time he closed his eyes, he'd see the way her body had moved so sexily to the music. It got him heated. He couldn't deny it anymore. She'd grown up. She wasn't his snot-nosed little padawan anymore. She was a woman, with womanly features and curves and needs. And he wanted her.

            How stupid he felt. She was his best friend, but she was also more. She was caring and supportive and understanding. The way she looked at him, even in her fiery tantrums gave him chills. He wanted to know her inside out. Every detail of who she was. He wanted to taste her beautiful orange skin. And he damn well didn't want anyone else touching it. But what right did he have? How could he claim her as his own when he'd already claimed someone else? If Padmé was everything he'd always wanted in life, then why did he also want Ahsoka?

            He looked up when her door opened. She stood there for a moment. He couldn't see her eyes, but he knew she could see him. "Master..." she whispered timidly. Not sounding drunk like she had earlier.

            "Are you alright?" he asked as she peeled off her boots and dropped them by the door.

            "Yeah," she sounded distant. Almost nervous.

            He stood up and made his way towards her. He took her shoulders in his hands and looked her over. From what he could see as his eyes readjusted to the dark, she was unscathed. She trembled a little as he pulled her into a hug. It was a few minutes before she relaxed into him, but she held him weakly.

            "What's happening to you, Ahsoka?" he asked when he finally let her go. "You've been all over the place lately. One minute casually talking about a boring evening in with Lux to partying with who knows what."

            She brushed past him and sat on the edge of her bed. "I'm just tired of feeling so alone, master," she confessed. "Ever since the council lifted the ban it’s been like a mad house. Everyone running in every direction desperate to just feel something that they'd been forbidden to feel before. I want to experience it too, but..."

            He sat down next to her and she shifted uncomfortably. "But what?"

            She looked up at him, her blue eyes suddenly so bright they pierced the darkness around them. His breath caught in his throat. "I don't want it with just anyone. I want it with the person I love and trust."

            "Well, maybe you need to tell Lux that..." he trailed off swallowing hard when she shook her head. Why was he encouraging her to go back to Lux? Probably because as much of a loser as he thought he was, at least he was polite and respectful.

            "You are so frustrating sometimes!" She threw up her hands. "Are you really that blind?" She sounded exasperated. He wasn't sure how to respond to that. Why did she think he was blind? But if he was, what wasn't he seeing? She was on her feet and he watched her in confusion. "I've thrown you every possible hint I could imagine, but the only thing you care about is her! You act jealous, but you don't act on it! I'm not a little kid anymore, Anakin! Stop treating me like one! I've grown up, I want more... I have... _needs_... and if you're not going to help me, then please, just go. At least then I'll know where we stand."


	9. Chapter 9

Apparently, all he'd needed was permission, though she thought for sure she'd given it to him a million times. He had her in his arms before she'd been able to completely comprehend that he was actually giving her what she wanted. She had no idea what had made her bold enough to flat out ask for it, though she suspected it had something to do with what Rex had said to her. She'd been so sure he'd walk away or tell her they couldn’t, and she'd be left there alone, again, now having ruined any chance with him.

            But instead, he'd leapt to his feet and pulled her against him, kissing her as though he'd been yearning for her just as badly. She'd melted into the sensation as though in a daze. His hot breath, his needy nibbles, his hunger sent shivers racing down her spine. His moist lips were like the most luscious, juicy fruit you could imagine, and they tasted just as sweet. She had no idea a kiss could feel so good. So yeah, Lux had definitely been a terrible kisser.

            "Is it everything you imagined?" he breathed into her neck as she tipped her chin back in anticipation of the next fire he was going to ignite in her. She moaned, nodding happily. Unable to form any semblance of a sentence in her head. He knew just where to touch her, and how much pressure to use. She didn't even feel like a body anymore as she became putty in his arms.

            Every new sensation sent her to the edge of a wild unexplored world. She didn't even know how to react or respond as excitement and pleasure coursed through her repeatedly. His hands slid down her lekku and she moaned, clinging to his robes as he unclipped her dress. She was too happy to be shy as the garment fell free and landed around her ankles. Her knees went weak when his lips found the sensitive skin around her nipples.

            He caught her as she fell back, setting her gently on the bed and looming over her. His eyes were dark and intense, the hint of danger excited her. He pulled off his gloves and ran his fingers up her body, kissing away the electric sensation as he explored every inch of her. She shivered as his hair lightly brushed across her skin as he moved. Everything about him was hot and electric and her body felt like it would burst from all the new sensations and experiences. She couldn't remember the last time she'd felt so alive. In fact, she couldn't remember anything. Her brain was so fuzzy she doubted she'd be able to give her name if he asked her for it.

            His tongue teased the elastic waistband of her leggings and she thought she'd go feral. She grabbed for his hair, pushing his face lower. Loving the hunger and lust in his eyes when he flashed her a hot sexy smile. He folded them down, teasing every inch of flesh as it was exposed. She writhed in anticipation, moaning louder and longer until his tongue found the sweet spot. She arched into the touch, waves of pleasure and ecstasy crashed through her until she was in a frenzy.

            She cried out in disappointment when he pulled away, impatient as he stripped away his clothes. She fumbled helplessly trying to hurry him along. She wanted to savor it, but she was panting and ready, begging for relief.

            The weight of his body as he spread himself over her felt so good, she pressed her skin against him, maximizing the surface area that was touching. "Are you ready?" he whispered into her neck. She nodded quickly. "I know you're impatient, but I'm going to go slow so I don't hurt you." She chewed her lip, tightening her grip on his shoulders.

            She dug into the flesh of his back as she felt him enter. It was so big, so full. She thought she'd go mad at the way it filled her. "Ahh," she moaned as he pushed in further. Her skin was slick and clammy.

            "Are you okay?" he asked, brushing the beading sweat off her forehead.

            "Yes." She sucked in a breath as he slid in deeper. "Ooh." He ran a finger across her lip, watching her in concern. She trembled. It was the strangest feeling. It hurt a little, but it also felt good. It felt like they'd connected on an even deeper plane of existence. As though nothing in life could tear them apart. They were no longer two, but rather one. Together. Inseparable. Complete.

            She wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling herself up against his chest. Running her fingers through his hair and seeking his kisses. He pulled out and pushed in again. This time it didn't hurt. And the more he repeated this move, the better it felt.

She watched him as he moved in concentration, with purpose as though he were aiming for some far-off goal. She felt vulnerable, and exposed, like she should be scared. But she wasn't. She trusted him completely. She knew that he'd take care of her. That he'd protect her. That he would never ever hurt her. And she was glad, despite the roller coaster of emotions she'd been feeling the past few months, glad that she'd waited for him. Because in all honesty, she didn't want to and couldn't imagine doing this with anyone else. At least not the first time, but likely not at all. She doubted anyone else would feel as good or as right as he did to her.


	10. Chapter 10

He traced his fingers lightly along her skin as she laid there with her eyes closed, both of them spent from the ride of pleasure. He'd wanted her for so long, having no idea she'd been wanting him for just as long. He'd been such a fool. And blind, so blind.

            Tonight, she wasn't fearless on the battlefield, but fearless in the bedroom. She'd been nervous, but ready. She'd taken everything he'd thrown at her, meeting his intensity with her own need and hunger. Every time he thought he was hurting her, she'd pull him closer, bring him deeper.

But it was his turn to be scared. What would happen in the morning? What were they now? Had they destroyed their friendship just to desperately fill a deep hole they clearly both felt? She'd told him she loved him, she trusted him. That she'd been waiting for him. But intimacy changed the dynamics of a relationship and only time would tell if it had brought them closer or torn them apart. He supposed it wasn't the act that decided that, but rather how they chose to cope with it later. And what about Padmé? From the moment Ahsoka had put it on the table in front of them, he'd completely forgotten about his wife. Consumed by the need to make love to the woman he'd been falling in love with for years. His cheeks burned with shame. Oddly not about what had just happened, but what it meant.

            "Anakin," she murmured, and he turned his chin, so he could keep it rested on her while looking up at her face.

            "Hmm?"

            "Please don't regret it," she whispered. "Tomorrow doesn't exist yet. We're still in tonight."

            He turned his cheek and kissed the skin near his lips. "Tonight, I'm all yours," he promised. Her hand ran through his hair and he wondered what she was thinking. She probably hoped he would make her some kind of promise about the future. But he couldn't. Not yet. He could only promise her tonight, just as he'd done.

            "I wasn't at a club earlier," she confessed. "I was at the shipyard. Fives suggested a little game when you called. I thought it would be fun. They all knew how badly I wanted you. But I didn't think about how it would make you feel. I just didn't know how else to get you to see me. I'm sorry."

            He sat up on his elbows so he could get a better look at her face. "I was jealous. I didn't like seeing someone else touch you. But I was also scared for you. Afraid you'd get hurt or end up regretting something you couldn't undo. As your teacher, your life and your wellbeing is my responsibility. But I can't stop you from needing or wanting things. I just wanted you to be sure of whatever it was you did."

            "I wasn't sure of any of it, that's why I didn't do it before. But I was sure of you. I knew, if I was ever going to experience it, I wanted it to be with you. I thought Lux was better than nothing. But I was wrong. Being with the wrong person was far lonelier than being alone." She sighed. "But don't worry, I know I'm not to you what you are to me. So when tomorrow comes, I won't stand in your way. Thank you, for tonight."

            She rolled away from him. He scooted up the bed so he was behind her and pulled her back into his chest, wrapping his arms around her. "We'll worry about tomorrow, tomorrow."


	11. Chapter 11

If she thought falling asleep in someone's arms was the best feeling, she'd never woken up in someone's arms before. To be open, naked and vulnerable all night while asleep and yet waking up feeling snug and safe... it was an amazing feeling. As a Jedi, you learned to be ever vigilant. You never wanted to be caught unaware even during the night. You sleep with your weapon nearby, you stay tuned into the force... you never ever really get deep, restful sleep. And for her and Anakin, and all others out on the front lines, it was even worse. Because this wasn't a peaceful time. Anything could happen at any moment, you could never let down your guard.

            But she had. And so had he. For one night they'd both been able to relax and find comfort in each other. She carefully turned in his arms, trying not to wake him, so that she could face him. He shifted a little, still holding onto her, but didn't wake.

            She traced the shape of his face with her eyes, memorizing every line, freckle and dimple. She watched him sleep, loving how relaxed he seemed. He definitely needed good sleep. He rarely ever got it. She moved her hand so she could brush his hair out from in front of his eyes, twirling it in her fingers and admiring the softness of it against her skin. Hair fascinated her, because she didn't have any. She'd always been confused about how it worked or how to care for it. He had it all over his body too, and it seemed to be sensitive to touch just like the lekku were for her.

            She leaned forward and kissed the exposed skin of his shoulder, memories of their frantic lovemaking heated her cheeks. Why had she waited so long to beg him for relief? It had felt like the most natural thing in the world between them. Everyone, all around the temple, were doing it, but theirs felt special. Special because they already had a deep bond. She felt like she should pity the others who had paired off just to know what it felt like. She'd much rather experience it only once with him than with a hundred others. Though she really hoped she could ignore the longing and desire to have it more than the one time.

            His comm beeped from somewhere in their tangled mess of clothes and she was instantly disappointed that their night had come to an end. Tomorrow was here whether she liked it or not. He moved his arm without opening his eyes and summoned the communicator to his hand. He peeked open one lid and hit the audio only button.

            "Hello, master," he said, pulling her back towards him.

            "Sorry to call so early on a Saturday but you and your padawan have been requested for the war meeting this morning," Obi wan said.

            "Okay, we're on our way," Anakin replied and clicked off the comm. Then he threw it back onto the floor and rolled into her. She moved like she was going to get up and he pulled her back, snuggling into her chest. "Five more minutes," he murmured.

            She smiled, leaning her cheek against the top of his head. How weird it had felt to hear Obi wan's voice in the room when they were in such a compromising position. One that even if the ban had been lifted was probably still not considered appropriate. He was her master after all. And she was still a padawan. But to hear Anakin's sleepy voice and absolutely no shame in what they'd done had more than thrilled her. Also, his seeming unwillingness to part made her want to hope for the future. She knew better though. Their time was coming to an end. _Five more minutes_. Soon they'd be back to missions and him spending time with the senator and her doing something boring to pass the time.

            _Oh well,_ she sighed. At least she'd gotten the one night and experience she'd wanted. Rex said there were more important things than one-night stands. And he was right. No matter what she wished she could have with him, she didn't want their bond to fall apart just because he was in love with someone else. She knew he loved her too. Last night proved it. He just didn't love her as much as Padmé. So, when it came to who he'd choose... she had to accept the truth; it wouldn't be her.


	12. Chapter 12

He snuck a glance at Ahsoka who stood near him, while everyone was distracted by the information being displayed on the holoterminal in the middle of the war room. When had she become so beautiful? She'd always been cute, for a Togruta, but this was different. She stood there with a quiet confidence; her shoulders high, her chin up, her eyes focused and engaged. She really had grown up. Last night proved it.

            The woman before him was no longer the sassy little know-it-all, that was skilled but annoying. She was no longer fearful and unsure. At some point in the last three years they'd hit the same wavelength and been in tune ever since. He trusted her with his life and the lives of others, even the ones he was terrified to lose. He was proud to stand by her in front of the council and in battle. Her fire was both fun and intoxicating. They laughed together, they cried together, they could move in comfortable silence, together. And clearly, they fit together even deeper than he'd realized.

            She turned to see him looking at her and he smiled. She elbowed him in the gut and he was confused until she nodded back towards the table. He'd been so engrossed in his thoughts he had no idea everyone had stopped speaking and was looking at him. He looked from face to face as the heat rose in his cheeks. Surely none of them knew what he'd just been thinking about. He hoped.

            He swallowed and tried to shrug off the awkwardness that had fallen in the room. "Sorry my mind drifted for a moment, what did I miss?"

            Obi wan rolled his eyes. "It was more than a moment, you haven't heard a word since you got here."

            "Uh..."

            "Don't worry, master Kenobi," Ahsoka said. "I'll brief him on the way."

            "Make sure that's all you do," Obi wan smirked. Anakin's eyes widened, and he looked down at his feet embarrassed. Great, just great. The last thing he needed was the entire council knowing he'd slept with his padawan.

            They were halfway down the hall when she grabbed his robe and jerked him into a dark closet. He looked around. "Are you insane?" she demanded, putting her hands on her hips. "Relationships allowed or not, we shouldn't be advertising it. You know the way the gossip chain works around here. Do you really want it getting back to the senator?"

            He wasn't sure he heard everything she said because he'd been watching her beautiful bronze lips and had the strongest urge to kiss them. In fact, he might just do that. Everything else could wait. He brought his hand up and ran his finger along her jawline. He didn't really notice her eyes narrow, only that her lips got fuller. He met them, relishing in the soft sweet taste. She opened for him but seemed to resist some. He pulled her into his arms, the memory of her body against his sending fires racing through him. And the next thing he knew the closet door opened and he was lying face first on the floor. Watching from his elbows as Ahsoka stalked away.

            "Well, considering the mission ahead of you, you're going to need all the rest you can get. But I expected you'd at least make it to the ship first." Anakin rolled onto his back to see Obi wan standing above him. "Did Ahsoka brief you on the mission?" he asked.

            "Well... it was brief." He brought his hands up to cover his face.

            "I'd tell you I don't approve, but you won't listen anyways. At least do me one small favor in return for all I've done for you over the years," Obi wan said and he parted his fingers to peek at him. "Don't let her presence become a distraction." His master reached out his hand to help him up.

            "Is it that obvious?"

            "More obvious than an explosion."

            "Oh brother," Anakin murmured.


	13. Chapter 13

"You've been avoiding the general," Rex said. It wasn't a question. Of course he'd noticed. That's what Rex did. "Did something bad happen?"

            "No," she answered. "Actually, something really good happened. But he's been having a lot of trouble focusing ever since." She crossed her arms, unsure how to feel about it. On the one hand, it excited her that their shared night hadn't ended with them swearing off each other, but on the other hand... after the mission they were briefed on this morning, she really needed her master to get his head back in the game. She was starting to worry that something might happen now that she'd distracted him, and she'd have to live with the knowledge it was her fault. What if he got hurt or killed? What if they failed their mission and thousands of people died?

            She really didn't want their night together to be something she'd end up regretting. And she knew she would if any of the aforementioned things happened. Beyond that, had she just screwed up his relationship with Padmé? She liked his attention and the way he looked at her now, but she didn't want to hurt her friend. Padmé deserved better. She thought they'd share one night and then be able to turn it off and move on. But maybe she was wrong. Maybe that wasn't how it worked when you took a relationship that far. Her body was still tingling from all the places he'd touched her or kissed her. She'd tried meditating three different times since they'd boarded the Resolute and she couldn't completely escape the feeling or the memories of it. What horrible timing for this mission to come up.

            And now of course, the council knew. Or at least suspected it. How stupid she'd been to think they could hide something like that!

            "He's coming, if you need to hide," Rex whispered out of the corner of his mouth.

            "I can't hide from him forever. We need to figure out how to deal with this!" she muttered in annoyance.

            "General!" Rex saluted him as he came up to them.

            "At ease, Captain," Anakin said sounding a little more like his normal self. "So, uh, I may have missed some of the briefing this morning and between you and me, I need to know what we're doing out here." He looked around and she just raised her brow at him. "I don't even know where we're going."

She hit her forehead with her palm and rolled her eyes. "Hey," she snapped her fingers in front of him. "Remember what you always told me? You need to keep your head in the here and now!"

            He looked at her in surprise but then he grinned, "Wow Snips, I had no idea you actually listened to me."

            _Oh brother._ "I always listened to you," she stuck out her tongue. "But that doesn't mean I always thought you were right."

            "Should I let you two figure this out?" Rex asked, shifting as though he didn't really want to be in the middle of it.

            "No, please stay," she grabbed his arm, so he couldn't leave. She moved so Rex was positioned firmly between them as she hid behind him. "We're going to Cato Nemodia. And according to the council, it's going to be one hell of a battle. So as much as I enjoyed last night, I really need you to focus right now, master." She leaned her head against Rex's back.

            "Cato Nemodia?" Anakin finally sounded like he was back in general mode. She stepped out from behind Rex and saw that his eyes had narrowed in deep thought. "The trade federation is rumored to be in league with the separatists, but no one could ever prove it. Now the Nemodians are calling us for help? They have some nerve."

            "It's worse than that, master," Ahsoka said. "Intel says the separatists have kidnapped the royal family and are holding them deep underground. There's only two ways in and out of the complex and there's countless battle droids between us and them. If we don't free the royal family and return them to the throne alive, the Nemodians will pull out of the republic and our economy will collapse without the trade federation."

            "That's not good."


	14. Chapter 14

"Master! Are you alright?" He blinked a few times in response to Ahsoka's voice.

            "Oh, my head..." he groaned. "What happened?" He looked around confused. "Wait a minute... wasn't I flying? Where's my fighter?"

            "Fighter crashed, I saved the day, you're welcome," she said looking at him innocently. She started to walk away.

            "Get back here," he said, force pulling her down onto his lap.

            "Now is hardly the time for this," she whispered, looking up at him with her big blue eyes.

            "But you just said I almost died, now seems like the perfect time." He wrapped his arms around her and rested his head against her forehead. "Ahsoka," he breathed, running his hands up her body and then along her arms setting them over his shoulders. "I know I only promised you one night, but I want more. When I'm with you, everything feels so much better."

            "You have no idea how long I've wanted to hear that," she breathed. "But what about the senator?"

            He tipped her chin back, so he could look her in the eye. "I don't know," he admitted.

            She blinked slowly and chewed on her lip. Had he always loved her this much and the other night simply opened the floodgate? Or was this new?

            "Every time I look at you, it feels like my heart is trying to leap out of my chest and return to you; the place it really belongs," he whispered.

            "But I don't want to be a thief."

            He laughed and looked down for a second. "Please don't tell me to lock it away, because I don't think it counts as stealing when it wants to go with you. If anything, you're freeing it."

            "You've had mine from the beginning. You didn't steal it. I gave it to you willingly. It goes where you go. So maybe, we just made a trade."

            He smiled and studied her face. "A trade, hmm?"

            "Don't you think that's what love really should be?" she asked curiously. "I mean equal for equal. Nobody taking something that wasn't given willingly."

            "I don't know what love should be," he confessed. "But your version definitely sounds nicer than what I've known it to be."

            "I don't want to spend my life chasing someone because they stole my heart. I want to give it to someone because I know they'll care for it. I trust you with mine, so I leave it open for you. I think the reason the Jedi always forbade attachments was because we're not very good at giving out our hearts to the right people. And if we don't trust the people we give it to, then fear moves in. And when we're afraid..."

            "We end up making bad choices and suffering." He ran his finger down her cheek. "I trust you with mine as well. I love Padmé, but I'm afraid with her. It's not that I don't trust her, but it doesn't feel safe in her hands. Like I believe she's going to drop it or something," he admitted. "I don't know why I feel that way."

"It's because you try to be something you're not to please her. Every time you went out with her, you acted weird and different. Like you were ashamed of who you were and believed she wouldn't like you that way. So you're scared she'll drop it when she sees through the act. I don't think she would, but I can understand the fear." He watched her curiously. More than her body had matured. When had she become so wise?

            "I don't think I'm afraid she'll drop it so much as one day she'll decide she doesn't want it anymore. And I couldn't imagine where I'd be if that happened. But now..." His wrist comm beeped and he looked at it in surprise. "Chancellor?" he asked in confusion after Ahsoka ducked out of the way so she wouldn't be seen in the transmission.

            "I'm sorry to interrupt your important mission, my boy," Chancellor Palpatine started. "But I have a delicate situation on my hands that requires someone I trust."

            "I'm honored that you would ask me, your excellency. But if I leave now, we might lose the support of the Nemodians and the trade federation. I doubt I have to tell you how devastating that would be for the Republic," Anakin replied, glancing at Ahsoka where she still laid across his lap just below the comm device when the Chancellor looked away for a moment.

            "Yes, I'm aware of your mission. I regret to call you away, but I'm afraid this is more important. Isn't your padawan there with you? If you trained her as well as you claim, she should be sufficient in completing the task at hand."

            "Very well, your excellency. I should inform the Jedi council..."

            "I'll call them, just please hurry." Anakin barely bowed before he'd clicked off the holocall.

            He helped Ahsoka sit back up and stared at her as he tried to work through what might be going on. He'd never heard the chancellor sound afraid before. But to call him away from such an important mission for the future of the republic? It wasn't that he didn't think Ahsoka could handle it, he just didn't feel comfortable putting a mission with such terrible odds only on her shoulders. Because yes, she was well trained and highly skilled, but even so, any number of things could go wrong and if they did, he didn't want her to take the fall for it.

            "Well, you'd better get going then," she murmured, sounding a little nervous. "I can finish the mission here."

            He swallowed hard and then hugged her tight. "Please be careful!"

            "You too," she whispered, looking up at him. He kissed her lips and she opened for him. He really didn't want to let her go, but she was right, he needed to go.


	15. Chapter 15

She called back R4 for him, so he could take her fighter back to the Resolute. He'd ordered Artoo to stay with her. She watched him go with uncertainty. Something felt wrong about it. And whether the Chancellor said he'd call the council or not, she felt she should check in with them as well. After his ship disappeared out of sight, she asked Artoo to call master Yoda.

            "Problem, is there?" he asked after she bowed to him.

            "Well, maybe," she started nervously. "Master Skywalker was just called away by the Chancellor. He left me in charge of the mission. It's not that I don't think I can handle it, but I have a bad feeling, Master Yoda."

            "Bad feeling, about the mission or about your master?"

            "My master," she admitted. "The Chancellor sounded shifty. He said he'd call you himself, but I take it he didn't?"

            "Heard not from the Chancellor have we. Knew of this mission he did. Troubling this is to remove Skywalker now." Master Yoda stroked his chin, looking deep in thought. "Status, what is?"

            "We broke through the blockade, but we haven't been able to get through the heavy resistance to the complex yet. We got pelted with buzz droids and Master Skywalker lost his fighter. We were about to call for a pickup when the Chancellor called. I'll regroup with the men and prepare for the second assault. If it's okay for me to be in charge of this now?" she reported.

            "Take over, you will. Succeed, you must."

            "Thank you, master," she bowed to him. The holocall ended and she stared at in blankly. "Well Artooie, I guess we're in charge now. Let's hope Anakin's faith in me isn't misplaced." She gritted her teeth feeling anxious. Less about the mission itself and more about him. She really hoped whatever was going on, that the force was with him, because this bad feeling wasn't going away. And master Yoda had done nothing to ease her fear. She pushed the comm on her wrist. "Rex, ol' boy, I need a pickup. Order the men to fall back to our staging area, we need to regroup. There's been a change of plans."

            "Yes, sir!" Rex replied. It was barely five minutes before he showed up with a gunship to take her back to the staging grounds. "Where's the general?" he asked once she and Artoo were aboard.

            "Headed back to Coruscant," she answered. "He was recalled by the Chancellor. He left me in charge." Rex set a hand on her shoulder and she was once again grateful for his observational skills. He sure put up with a lot and she owed him. They all did. "I think we need to reassess our strategy. Without Anakin, I don't think plowing through the front door is going to work."

            "What do you have in mind?" he asked.

            "Artoo, would you show us a map of the complex?" The droid beeped obediently and projected a detail layout of the bunker where the royal family was being held. "Well, the first problem is that we have no idea where they're keeping the prisoners. It's a good bet they're in the deepest part, a room furthest from either entrance. But with the size of this thing, it will take us forever to find them. And we'll probably burn through all of our people before we do. But if you notice, captain, there's four ventilation shafts that drop down to various levels of the complex. They're too small to get an army in which is why they weren't considered an option before. But what if we programmed a few mouse droids to drop in and find the captives? Once we know where they are, we can determine the quickest way to them. It would also give us a better idea what kind of resistance we'll be facing."

            "Droids usually ignore other droids unless they've been ordered to question unfamiliar ones. Mouse droids especially tend to go unnoticed. It's not a bad plan, Commander. But it will take time to get setup for it, which could be costly too," Rex answered.

            "Yes of course," she said. "That's why we're going to hit the compound and the area around it and draw out as many droids as we can as a distraction. It will still look like we're trying to get in and give the mouse droids plenty of time to do their job."

            "I'll brief the men, you give the orders." Rex saluted her when they landed and headed off towards the gathered troops. She really hoped this would work. What she hadn't told Rex was that the distraction they were about to cause was for her too. If her mind wasn't occupied, the worry about Anakin got too loud.


	16. Chapter 16

"How may I serve you, Chancellor?" Anakin bowed and waited while he dismissed his guards, so they were alone in the room.

            "Ah good, you made it back and just in time," Chancellor Palpatine approached him, setting his arm around his shoulder. "I have recently learned of a disturbing plot that I'm afraid I must take seriously."

            "What kind of plot?" he asked curiously.

            "Tell me, my boy, do you feel as though the Jedi serve the best interests of the Republic?"

            "Of course, they fight hard with very little rest to free people and end the war," Anakin replied.

            "Have you not said yourself though, that their beliefs cause them to fall short of victory?"

            "Well, yes," he conceded. "But to honor their beliefs by not resorting to violence in every situation is what makes them Jedi. To not control ourselves simply to end a conflict, means we lose our hold on the light. May I ask what this is about?"

            "I'm afraid I've been hearing more and more disturbing reports of radical Jedi that do not share the same perspective you just recited. I believe the Jedi are plotting to overthrow me."

            "But..." the Chancellor waved his hand dismissively and he fell silent.

            "I don't want to believe it either. But they've become more and more stubborn and unwilling to heed my direction. They've repeatedly failed to end the war and countless lives are hanging in the balance. I'm afraid I can no longer trust them to lead this war effort, for they could use their power as generals to turn against me. But you my boy, my son. You're an exemplary example of what it means to serve the Republic. You understand the cost of stopping short, and through cunning, you beat the odds time and time again. If I recall the Jedi from the front lines, I must know you will continue to serve the good of the republic. But as I mentioned before, the situation is delicate. It will not be received well by your compatriots, and very possibly they will turn against you too. Can I count on you to uphold the values of the Republic and continue to serve the people?" He stared at the Chancellor in disbelief, how could he ask him such a thing? "Just think, away from the order, you'd no longer have to hide your secret marriage. The position I offer would pay well and give you plenty of prestige. You could have everything you've always wanted."

            He swallowed hard, it did sound good, but... what about Obi wan? And Ahsoka?

            "Oh dear," the Chancellor said suddenly, picking up his datapad.

            "What is it?" Anakin felt his anxiety rise.

            "I just received a report from Admiral Yularen." He froze, blood racing through his veins. "It says here that your padawan was killed trying to assault the complex." He felt faint like he was going to pass out. He should have been there! Why did he leave? "Without the trade federation, the Republic is on the verge of collapse. I need you, Anakin. The people need you. If you don't help us, we're all doomed."

            "It can't be," he shook his head. "I'd have felt her death."

            "Oh dear boy, you look pale! Let me get you a chair." Chancellor Palpatine fussed over him. Would Obi wan understand his need to protect the people? Would it matter if he did? The chancellor was right, the Jedi failed to end the war. Unaffiliated with them, he might be able to remedy that. Then no one else would die. Oh Ahsoka... it couldn't be. It couldn't be. Just when he'd discovered he'd been wrong all along. Just when he'd found who he really should have. She was gone. It was all his fault.

            "I need some fresh air," he squeaked, sliding out of the room and racing down the halls. Surely the chancellor would understand him needing a little time? For as fast as he was running, his heart thudded dully in his chest. By the time he made it outside he was about ready to collapse. What was the point of anything anymore? What did it matter what side he was on or who he fought for? Ahsoka was gone. Dead. Just like his mother.


	17. Chapter 17

The tides had turned. Her plan had worked. She celebrated with the rest of the clones, but then it felt like someone had punched her in the gut. "Commander?" Rex asked catching her when she collapsed. She clutched at her heart, unable to form words. Something bad was happening. Something was wrong. "Jesse! Grab your kit!" Rex shouted to be heard over the ruckus.

            A vision seared her senses, and she could hardly see the people moving around her. Their voices felt so far away. There was Anakin, alone on the senate steps as though he'd collapsed. But no, he was still moving. He stood up, his eyes flashing gold. He rolled his shoulders, gripping his lightsaber tightly in his fist. What was he doing? Where was he going? She felt a flood of anger, of hatred, of pure unfiltered darkness. It crashed through her as though there was a shared extremity between them. "No!" she screamed. Leaping to her feet. No, no, no! What was happening?

            She frantically dialed his comm, she waited and waited and waited but he didn't pick up. She called master Kenobi, barely able to communicate her vision. He just kept telling her to calm down. She hung up frustrated and tried Anakin again. Still no answer. So she called master Yoda. She was in tears now. She told him everything she could, everything she'd seen. She didn't know if they were listening. She didn't think they'd stop what was happening.

            She fell to her knees, opening herself to the force recklessly fumbling for him in it. Whatever was happening, please oh please let him hear her. "Anakin!" she yelled, as she got blasted by the suffocating waves of hatred she'd felt in her vision. "Anakin stop!" Could he hear her? Was he listening?" She fell over on the ground, bringing her knees up to her chest, rocking back and forth. She felt like she was lifted off the ground, but she didn't care. Nothing mattered in that moment except him. "Anakin, please," she begged. "This isn't you. Don't do this."

 


	18. Chapter 18

He stopped on the steps of the Jedi temple. His hatred burning him from the inside out. Obi wan stood ahead of him, his lightsaber out. He too had raised his. It was time to end this war. To stop the people that refused to end it.

            "Anakin, listen to me," Obi wan started. But he leapt at him instead. Fighting blade to blade, furiously as though there was nothing to restrain them.

            "I won't listen to your lies anymore, old man!" He screamed at him.

            "I've never lied to you," his old master replied. "Stop this, you must."

            "She's dead! There's no point in stopping now. I have nothing more to lose!"

            "Who's dead?" Obi wan asked in surprised. Which only fueled his anger that much more. They never cared about her. No one had cared about her except for him.

            "My padawan!" he screamed, throwing him back with the force.

            "For this you go on a murderous rampage?" Obi wan leapt back to his feet.

            "You don't understand! You've never understood!"

            "Enough!" Master Yoda threw them both back into opposite walls. "Alive, your padawan is. Spoke to her we both have. Moments ago," he said, tapping his gimer stick so hard on the ground it resonated all around them. "To the healing ward you will go, Skywalker. By your feet or by force."

            "Alive?" He dropped to his knees. "You're lying! The chancellor said..."

            "Deceiving you, he is. For what purpose, I know not. Come now." Several temple guardians pulled him to his feet, taking his lightsaber from him. He felt weak. He didn't know what had happened or what had come over him. But master Yoda said she was alive. Did he dare hope?

            "Anakin!" he heard her voice and looked around frantically. But she wasn't there.


	19. Chapter 19

She handed him a cup of caf the moment he woke up. "What's going on?" he asked in confusion.

            "I'm not sure you're ready to hear it," she whispered. He glanced over at her. She looked tired, deep lines spread across her face.

            "Ahsoka!" It finally dawned on him what he was seeing. He threw the cup without thinking and tried to reach for her.

            "Master!" She cringed when the glass made contact with something hard and shattered. "I'm not supposed to be here! You'll get us both in trouble!" she hissed.

            "I thought you died!" he wailed.

            "Shh!" She leapt to her feet and put her hand over his mouth. "You'll wake the whole temple!" She listened hard for a moment, trying to hear if anyone had heard that and was coming. She looked back at him when she felt him kiss her hand. She sat down on the edge of the bed and he sat up, propping himself up with his hands behind his back. She ran her fingers down his face and he leaned into her touch. Then she pushed a curl out of his eyes. “Anakin,” she breathed. “What happened to you?”

            He looked at her sadly, his blue eyes looked pained and confused. “I’m not sure… One minute I was talking to the Chancellor and the next…”

            “You turned.” She studied his face. He shook his head.

            “No, I didn’t do that.” He furrowed his brows as though he couldn’t believe he would do something like that. This didn’t feel like his usual brand of denial, this felt like he had no recollection of what had happened. He looked back at her, fear spreading across his features. “Did I hurt anyone?”

            “Thankfully, no. But from what I hear, you were pretty bent on trying to hurt Master Kenobi.” His eyes widened, and he fell back against the bed.

            “The Chancellor… he told me that the Jedi were standing in the way of ending this war. He was trying to convince me to leave the order, to act separately from it. And then he told me you were dead… why would he lie about that?”

            “I don’t know,” she whispered. He rubbed his wrists and then looked at the bracers around them in surprise.

            “What are these?”

            “Force restraints,” she said. “You’re in the healing ward, but under guard. Like I said, I’m not supposed to be here. I snuck in to see you.” She set her hand on his knee and stood up. “Listen, I love you, but if I’m the only thing holding you in the light… I can’t do that, Anakin. It’s not fair. Do you know how much pressure that is on me? You have to find that light in yourself. I’ll support you in any way I can, but I can’t be responsible for the choices you make.” She looked around, hearing footsteps in the distance. “I have to go.”

            She leapt back into the ventilation duct and closed the grate, hurriedly crawling away. She dropped down into the hallway several corridors away and fell back against the wall, tears overwhelming her.

            “I take it you went to see him despite being told not to.” She blinked up at Master Kenobi and nodded. She felt stupid, she couldn’t stop the tears.

            “I’m sorry, master,” she choked. “After the vision I had, I needed to see him for myself.”

            “Walk with me,” he said, offering her his hand. She stood up and walked beside him in silence. Her shoulders drooping. “I’m sure you’ve figured out by now, that lifting the ban on relationships was a kind of trial.”

            “I was afraid you’d say that,” she murmured, wiping her face with her arm. “Does that mean they’ll be forbidden again?”

            “No. You see, it was a trial for all of us. And it taught us some very valuable lessons. For example, where we, the council, have woefully failed to prepare our students to deal with attachments and jealousy and need. Your master, he needs relationships to survive as much as we need water to live. But as you’ve seen many times, he struggles to control the emotions that go with them. That’s our fault. Instead of teaching him to handle them, we tell him not to have them. Lifting the ban proved to us, that if he was allowed to have them, he functioned much better all the way around. And despite what you heard happened and what you saw for yourself, the relationship that blossomed between the two of you was deep and strong. If allowed to continue, I truly believe it would be the healthiest. The level of trust that you two have in each other, is something admittedly, I never fully appreciated before. In all my years of knowing him, I’d never seen him so balanced as he was with you.”

            “But he…”

            Obi wan shook his head. “After some investigation, the council is convinced that he had no control over what he was doing. We believe the Chancellor to be the Sith lord we’ve been hunting.”

            Her eyes widened. “But wouldn’t we have sensed it?”

            “I wondered the same thing. All of us have been face to face with him many times. Though I do not know how he kept it a secret from us, it does explain a lot of his behavior throughout this war. And his interest and friendship with Anakin. He was informed early on that Anakin was believed to be the Chosen One. Something that should not have been here nor there for a politician, but for a Sith lord… Anakin has always struggled with controlling his emotions, so trying to befriend him and use the information he gets out of that friendship against him, could eventually be used to turn him to the dark side. I had hoped I’d trained him well enough to resist that darkness, but it would appear I failed to do that.”

            “The chancellor told him I’d died,” she said looking down at her feet in confusion. “He knew we were getting closer, he knew that would set off Anakin’s fears.”

            “Exactly. And he’d ensnare him before he thinks it through,” Obi wan said thoughtfully, stroking his beard.

            “I should stay away from him then. So, the Chancellor doesn’t use our relationship against him.” She felt her heart get heavy. This wasn’t what she wanted. She wanted to be with him.

“On the contrary,” Master Kenobi said, and she looked up at his face in surprise. “He needs you there, now more than ever. You have a power to reach him that the rest of us don’t have. I believe quite strongly, that it is you who will teach him the final lesson that the rest of us failed to do; letting go.”

            She swallowed, unsure of what he had in mind. Did Obi wan believe she had to teach him how to let go of her? Or with her support he would learn to handle loss of others?


	20. Chapter 20

Anakin stared at the ceiling where Ahsoka had disappeared. Had his fear finally gotten the better of him? Was it really that easy to turn him? She was right, she shouldn’t be the only thing holding him in the light, but… Why hadn’t he thought to call her first? Or Artoo? Or Rex or the Admiral himself? Why? Well, because he’d never had a reason to doubt the Chancellor before. What did this mean? He felt uncertainty creeping through him. Why would the Chancellor lie to him? What had he hoped to achieve by doing so?

            And worse… had he hoped Ahsoka would die by pulling him away from that mission? He shook his head, he didn’t want to believe it. What would the Chancellor gain by doing that? The last thing he remembered clearly was running outside. He’d been scared, he’d been unsure, he’d been questioning everything… but he hadn’t been dark. He’d felt anger, but he thought he’d resisted it and then he woke up here. What was going to happen to him now? Would the Jedi throw him out? Then where would he go? Even if he _did_ believe they got in the way sometimes, he didn’t truly believe they purposely were trying to stop the end of the war.

            He sat there in the dark, drowning in his fears and uncertainties. He tried to sleep, but it wouldn’t come. He really didn’t want to be alone right now. He understood Ahsoka’s need to leave, but he wished she’d come back. He wasn’t sure what time it was when he heard the door open. He rolled over to see her standing there. “Are you sleeping?” she asked.

            “Yeah right,” he muttered. “How can I sleep after what you told me?”

            She came over to the side of the bed, so quietly if he hadn’t of actually touched her earlier, he’d have thought she was a ghost. “I talked to Master Kenobi,” she started, sitting down on the bed again. He scooted over to make room for her. “He thinks the Chancellor is the Sith lord.”

            “What?” he started in surprise. “That can’t be true. Someone would have sensed it. _I_ would have sensed it.” She reached out and brushed her fingers along the side of his face and then she leaned down and kissed him on the forehead.

            “I said the same thing. They don’t know how he disguised it, but they don’t believe you were in control of what happened.” She climbed onto the bed and curled up into him. He pulled her tighter to him.

            “They’re not going to kick me out?” he whispered, struggling to remind himself to breathe.

            “No.” She blinked at him slowly. In the blue light of the bacta tank, she had a glow about her. Her blue eyes radiated light, as if they were a light source themselves. He tried to take a deep breath and relax, it was easier now that she was here. It felt like things were going to be okay.

            “The Chancellor seemed to think the Jedi were plotting to overthrow him. Which if he is the Sith lord, is probably true. Though he’s wrong about their motives.”

            She ran her fingers through his hair. “We’ll worry about it in the morning,” she whispered. She watched him for awhile. He was surprised she felt comfortable laying there with him after what he’d done. “I had a vision,” she breathed. “I felt the darkness in you. I called out to you in the force. Did you hear me?”

            He shook his head, a tear streaming down his cheek. “I don’t remember.” She pulled his head against her chest and he cried into her. She held him tight, kissing him on the top of the head.

            “It’s okay. You’re safe now.” How strange it was. He’d never wanted to be weak in front of her before, but now he couldn’t hold it in. She was the student, but he felt like the child begging for love. He was supposed to protect her, but instead, she was the one protecting him. Probably even more than he thought.

            He felt her drift into meditation, giving off her light and strength and he welcomed it. He relaxed into it, letting it wash over him. Letting it cleanse him. He did feel safe. She said he was and he felt it. If she’d sensed his darkness and could still lay here with him, then he _was_ safe. He let go of the buzzing fear and fell forward into her love.


	21. Chapter 21

“Anakin!” She shook him on the shoulder. He groaned and rolled away. “Get up, you have to get up.”

            “Five more minutes,” he murmured, putting his hands up over his head.

            “You don’t have five minutes; the council is here.” That got his attention. He rolled back over and sat up.

            “Uh… good morning?” he looked from face to face.

            Master Windu stepped forward and removed his binder cuffs. “The Chancellor wants to see you, Skywalker.”

            “Are you sure that’s a good idea?” He sounded nervous while he rubbed his wrists. She realized in that moment the true damage that was done wasn’t him turning evil for a little while, it was that he’d never feel like he could trust himself again.

            “No, but if you don’t go, he’ll be suspicious,” Obi wan said, stroking his beard.

            “Go with you, Ahsoka will. Believes she died, he does,” Master Yoda stepped forward. Anakin glanced at her and she smiled reassuringly at him. “Catch him in a trap we will.”

            “No offense, masters, but if he’s hid his true nature from us for this long, I doubt seeing Ahsoka alive will cause him to slip up.” Anakin reached out and took her hand. She squeezed it softly.

            “Perhaps, but you will both have listening devices on you, and backup. We’re counting on you to keep you head, Skywalker,” Master Windu said.

 

\---

 

“Anakin,” she tugged on him after the taxi flew away. He stopped and turned towards her. “If it comes to it, you have to let me go.” He shook his head and she put her hand on his cheek. “You have to promise me, you’ll let me go.”

            “I can’t,” he said, his eyes were dark and pained.

            “If I die in there, I want to die knowing that you’re going to bring him down. Promise me,” she begged. A tear streamed down his cheek.

            “No, I can’t promise that.”

            “You have to. There is more at stake here than you and me. If you refuse to let me go, what will you become? What will happen to the Republic? To the people? You always taught me to do what needs to be done. I need you to tell me you’re going to do the same.” She ran her fingers through his hair. “No matter what happens, I’ll always be with you.”

            “I don’t want to say goodbye.” His lip trembled. She hated the pain that set itself across his features. She hated the fear that clouded his eyes. She knew what she was asking of him. But in that moment, she understood what Master Kenobi had told her. If he didn’t learn how to let go… if he didn’t learn this lesson… the entire galaxy would collapse beneath his power. This had nothing to do with him being the chosen one. It had to do with his heart. If his heart collapsed, the rest of them would follow.

            “Then let’s go in there and make sure that doesn’t happen.” He pulled her into a tight hug and she held onto him for dear life. “Promise me.”

            “I promise,” he choked through the tears.


	22. Chapter 22

Anakin led the way into the Chancellor’s office, holding his heavy, oversized robe out further than normal. It was part of the plan. He hadn’t looked in a mirror lately, but he could imagine after the exchange with Ahsoka outside, he looked properly as though he’d been in mourning. The chancellor truly believed she was dead, and for as long as possible, it had to stay that way.

            “I apologize for running off on you the other day, your excellency,” he said nodding. The Chancellor turned around and looked him over. “The news was… hard to take.” He looked down at the floor, feeling the residual pain of the darkness that had spread through him like a disease.

            “Understandable, my boy,” the Chancellor exclaimed clasping his hands together. Did he really just see a flicker of glee in his eyes? Chancellor Palpatine came around the desk and Anakin turned to keep himself between him and Ahsoka, who as of yet, he hadn’t noticed. If it weren’t for her hand on his back, he might have thought he was having to do this alone. She was deep in the force, tuned in to his every movement. But the Chancellor couldn’t know she was there just yet. If he opened his senses, he’d know, but he wouldn’t dare until he was certain he’d ensnared him. “I’m afraid though, that the plot we discussed is imminent, and I need an answer now. Have you considered my offer?”

            “I have, Chancellor.” He did his best to swallow hard and look appropriately brow beaten. Not like it was hard, he’d been a slave his whole live, some things never went away.

            “Ah good, then if we’re going to stop it, we must get started right away.” The Chancellor turned away and he sent the message to Ahsoka that it was time to reveal her presence. He felt her hand move across his back in response.

            “I’m afraid you misunderstand me, your excellency.” Chancellor Palpatine slowly turned back towards him. “I said I considered your offer, not that I accepted it,” he mustered as much courage as he could and gave a mock, deep bow. To his credit, the Chancellor gave nothing away, but even he, in the state he was in, had felt the rush of annoyance in the leader of the Republic as he laid eyes on Ahsoka. Proving to him without a doubt that the Chancellor had in fact hoped Ahsoka would get killed on Cato Nemoidia and that he _was_ the Sith lord as she’d informed him this morning. They stared daggers at each other for what seemed like eternity. His back was starting to hurt from remaining bent over.

            “You have remarkable survival skills, child,” the Chancellor said through gritted teeth. “I was told you didn’t make it.” His restraint was impressive, but now that the blinders were off, Anakin felt every ounce of his darkness seeping out. Perhaps he was extra sensitive to it now that he’d had his own taste of it. He stepped to the side and straightened, watching in amazement as Ahsoka, in her never-ending fearlessness, stared down a Sith lord as though he was a petty criminal not worth her time. She was still just a padawan! He couldn’t remember being that fearless as one. He certainly wasn’t feeling very fearless right now. His nerves were getting the better of him. To flaunt Ahsoka in front of someone so dangerous, ate him from the inside out.

            “Is that so?” she asked feigning innocence. “Well then, I suppose this means my master _did_ train me well.” She looked at him and smiled and he felt such a rush of pride in that moment. What had he done to deserve someone as incredible as her? She’d more than proved time and time again that she could face down anything and stand strong. He made a mental note to ask her how she’d beaten the odds on that mission anyways.

            “Regrettably, your training has come to an end. I can’t have you ruining my plans.”

            “If you hurt her, I will kill you myself,” Anakin said, grabbing his lightsaber.

            “Yes,” the Chancellor cackled. “Use your anger, boy. Let it free you.”

            “It’s not about anger, it’s about justice,” Anakin replied, rolling his shoulders. “You told me that the people of the Republic need me, and you’re right. It is my duty to remove that which stands in the way of peace. And today, that is you.”

            Both of them had their lightsabers up, blocking the stream of lightning that burst from his fingers. They fought side by side like they always did, but the Chancellor was a far stronger Sith than even Dooku. They were losing. Where was the backup they were promised?


	23. Chapter 23

She closed her eyes as the glass shattered around her, the sound deafening. She dangled helplessly over the sheer drop from the top of the Senate tower. She’d known this could happen. She’d known he’d overpower her. That’s why she hadn’t fought as hard as she usually did. It was for Anakin’s good too. She glanced down at the plaza dwarfed below her.

            “You can still save her, Anakin. Join me and I will spare her.” The Chancellor sneered. Anakin stared out the window at her in fear. She shook her head at him, clawing at the invisible hands that were closing around her throat.

            “I can’t let you die, Ahsoka!” he pleaded, dropping to his knees.

            “You have to let me go!” she choked.

            “I can’t!” he wailed.

            “You promised!” She struggled to breathe. He looked so sad, so scared. She hated this. It wasn’t what she wanted to do. But she had to, for the good of everyone.

            “All you have to do is become my apprentice to save her life,” the Chancellor coaxed. His eyes evil and dark. _Please Anakin,_ she begged in the force. _Don’t listen to him. Don’t become what we’re fighting against._

            He closed his eyes, searching for peace. She was feeling faint. He needed to act now, while the Chancellor was distracted with her. “I will never join you,” Anakin said finally, standing up. He pointed his lightsaber at the Chancellor’s throat.

            “Then she will die.” It was her turn to close her eyes as the world started going dark around her. _Stay strong,_ she breathed. _Resist him. I believe in you._

            “If that is a sacrifice that has to be made to stop a monster like you, at least she won't have died in vain,” Anakin said carefully. Emotion spread through his words, hidden in the spaces where love goes to die.

            “You're a fool!” The Chancellor shouted at him. And suddenly she was falling to her death.

            “And you will die!” She heard the promise in Anakin’s voice and relaxed. He’d done what he needed to do. He learned to let go.

            “Gotcha,” she heard Rex’s familiar voice as she landed in his arms, his rocket pack, groaning under the added weight and force of her fall.

            “Thanks for the catch, Rexy,” she said, throwing her arms around his neck.

            “You’re lucky I serve under General Skywalker. A lot of his plans involve falling.”

            She chuckled. “I owe you one. Put me down on that ledge so I can leap back in the window.”

            He saluted her after putting her down. “May the force be with you both.” She smiled and nodded at him. Turning her attention back to the fight above. She reached her hand out, feeling in the force. She could feel the battle waging above her. She could feel Anakin’s power ripple through her and his surprising focus and determination. This was why the deception had been necessary. The Chancellor had been wrong, it wasn’t anger that freed him, it was purpose.

            She sprang with the force, letting it throw her back into the fight. She flipped, spinning around the instant she landed, and sliced through one of his arms. He’d managed to dodge her second strike.

            “You again?” The Chancellor looked at her, unable to hide his surprise this time as his eyes followed his hand to the floor.

“Yes, me again,” she stood up, making herself as tall and powerful as she could manage.

“Ahsoka!” Anakin looked at her visibly relieved and she grinned at him, nodding towards the Chancellor. Together, in calm and focus, it wasn’t long before they’d freed the Chancellor of his other hand. He was on his knees, the two of them standing above him.

            The doors burst open as the rest of the council entered and in a whirlwind of motion, they had him restrained. He glared up at them, especially at her as though she singlehandedly ruined everything. She tipped her head and smirked. She had. She’d freed Anakin from his fear. Obi wan set a hand on her shoulder. And Anakin threw his arms around her the moment they’d escorted the Chancellor out.


	24. Chapter 24

“I thought I lost you.” He lifted her into his arms and spun her around. She put her hands on his face when he set her down.

“I’m proud of you,” she whispered. He felt something stir in him as he watched her. Who was the master now?

“Letting go… was so hard.”

            “If it were easy, we wouldn’t have to be taught how to do it,” she replied. “But don’t you see, master? When you stopped being afraid, he had no power over you. Letting go of someone doesn’t mean you didn’t love them, or that they’re gone. It just means not losing yourself or destroying others to save them. You chose to honor me by continuing to fight for what was right. I could die knowing you’d continue to fight for what was right and good.”

            He ran his hands up to her shoulders and then her neck, bringing her lips against his. “I feel like I fail people when I let them go, when they die…” he breathed against her skin.

            “No,” she whispered. “You’re not a failure. You’ve never been a failure. People die, Anakin. Love them even in death.” He slid down to his knees, hugging her around the legs.

            “When my mother died, I was so sure I’d failed her. I’d promised her I would come back for her, that I’d free her and I never did. How is that not failing her?” She ran her fingers through his hair softly and then she knelt down in front of him.

            “Your mother loved you very much. By continuing to fight for everything she stood for, to save others from a similar fate… that isn’t failing. The galaxy is full of desperate people, but you’re only one person. Chosen one or not, you can’t save everyone and it’s not your responsibility to. So maybe you weren’t able to save _her,_ but you’ve saved countless other lives since. She’d be so proud of you too.” She took his cheeks in her hands and kissed him deeply. “The only way you could ever fail her is to let the pain of loss consume you. If she is one with the force, then she lives in everything you are and everything you do. Use her strength to carry on her legacy.”

He studied her face for awhile. Amazed at how far she'd come. "I have nothing left to teach you," he whispered. "In fact, the final lesson of your training was mine." She smiled at him. Then she put her hands together and bowed to him.

"Thank you, master."


	25. Chapter 25

"Stand before your fellow Jedi, you do. A teacher and a student. Proved to all of us, you have, the power of trust. Learn from your heroism, we will." Master Yoda stopped in front of them and bowed to them both.

She glanced over her shoulder at the people cheering and grinned. They were standing in the courtyard garden, being recognized for their role in bringing down the Chancellor. Anakin was standing next to her, the most genuine smile she'd ever seen from him, alighted his lips.

"Ahsoka Tano." She turned back to face Master Windu as he spoke. "For facing a trial far beyond anything we could teach you, you have proven to us all, that strength and determination comes from within. You have worked hard and become an incredible leader. Witnessed today, in front of the council and in front of your fellow classmates, you have earned the title of Knight within the Jedi order." Her eyes widened in surprise. Knighted? Early? How was that possible?

She turned to look at Anakin who was watching her, his face full of pride. He reached out his hand and there sat another set of silka beads. He came around and removed her padawan beads and hooked the new ones into place. She watched him, speechless as he came back around and set his hand on her shoulder.

"No longer a padawan, you are," Master Yoda said. The people watching all cheered again.

"You earned it, Snips," Anakin whispered, leaning close to kiss her on the cheek. Then he stepped back and bowed to her. She bowed too, still in shock.

"Anakin Skywalker," Master Kenobi stepped forward and they both turned to look at him. "For outstanding service to both the Jedi order and to the Republic, for showing strength of heart in the face of innumerable obstacles, for proving mastery of ourselves is our greatest challenge and our greatest achievement, and for successfully raising a padawan to the rank of knight, we hereby, witnessed by all those present, grant you the rank of master." It was Anakin's turn to look surprised. "Well done," Obi wan said, putting his hand affectionately on Anakin's cheek. He looked as though he'd been moved to tears. And he quickly blinked them away. "Forgive me if I don't kiss you." Obi wan winked and Ahsoka started laughing. Anakin just threw his arms around his master's shoulders.

"Congratulations," Master Gallia said, coming up and hugging them both to her. The crowd was cheering wildly and Ahsoka couldn't stop smiling. Though she was sad her time as Anakin's apprentice had come to an end, she was excited by the prospect of running by his side as an equal. He looked over at her and took her hand.


End file.
